Bar guideway for the flat strip bars of a bar closure

ABSTRACT

A bar guideway for the flat strip bar (18) of a bar closure (14) is described which is intended for installation in the fillet gap of sheet metal cabinet doors, and the flat strip bar (14) does not carry any or only tediously dissemblable locking means such as pins, hooks, roll pins or double roll pins. According to the invention, the bar guideway (20) forms a base angle (60) of resiliently elastic material such as synthetic material, whose one leg (62) has a fastening hole (64) and whose other leg (66) has one projecting rail (72 respectively 74) each. Each rail has a hook-shaped profile, and thereby forms a guide track (76) for the flat strip bar (18) (FIG. 1 and 6).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a bar guideway for the flat strip bar of a barclosure which in particular is provided for installation in the filletgap of sheet metal cabinet doors and in which the flat strip bar doesnot have any or has only tediously disassemblable locking means such aspins, hooks, roll pins or double roll pins.

2. Prior Art Background

A bar guideway for the flat strip bar of a bar closure, which isarranged in the fillet gap of sheet metal cabinets, is known fromEuropean Patent 01776890. The bar guideway described there is providedwith recesses and functions to guide the bars and for locking, e.g. foraccepting a peg carried by the body of the cabinet upon the sheet metalcabinet door being closed. Subsequently, an axial section of the flatstrip bar slides onto said bar guideway and brings about locking. Thisyields a relatively stable locking. However, this kind of lockingrequires very precise installation of the bar guideway and requires thebolt to be received by the bar guide, so that the door can be closedproperly. In addition, another disadvantage is that locking can onlytake place at the ends of the bar should the bar of the bar closure beintended for right as well as for left closing doors. For example,greater sheet metal cabinet heights and greater loads, through theexplosion pressure of arcs within the switch cabinet. It can, however,become necessary, to fix the door panel not only above and below, butalso at intermediate levels, which, with the known bar closure, cannotbe realized at all or only by accepting other disadvantages such asnonsymmetry cf the bars of the bar closure.

A further disadvantage of the known bar guideway is that the bar canonly be introduced into the guideway by sliding it axially from above orbelow. With particular constructions of the bar closure, this can leadto difficulties or it can be completely impossible.

A further disadvantage of the subject matter of the above-mentionedpublication is that no explanation is given regarding the method bywhich the bar guideway is fastened on the door panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the task of the invention to further develop a bar guideway sothat the kind of fastening on the door panel becomes clear. Inparticular, the bar guideway does not need to be slid onto the baraxially, nor does the bar need to be slid axially into the bar guideway,but rather the bar guideway can be slid laterally onto the bar. The barguideway can be clipped on or applied in a similar fashion, so thatsliding the entire bar axially through the bar guideway becomesuperfluous.

This task is solved by implementing one of two alternativeconstructions. In the first alternative, the bar guideway has anL-shaped cross-section of resiliently elastic material such as syntheticmaterial The bar guideway has a pair of legs extending from a cornerarea so that the legs and corner area together form the L-shapedcross-section. One leg has a fastening hole and the other leg has a freeedge. Extending from the free edge and from the corner area areprojecting guide rails each with a hook-shaped profile, which forms aguide track in which is guided the flat strip bar. The secondalternative, fulfills the same task. However, the bar guide comprises afirst L-shaped corner piece, of which is provided with a first apertureor cut for receiving the set bolts for fastening the screws on the doorpanel corner and the other leg forms a guideway for the surface of theflat strip bar directed away from the door panel corner. The bar alsocomprises a second L-shaped cornerpiece, one leg of which is providedwith a second aperture for fastening with screws to the first angle, andthe other leg of which forms a guideway for the other surface of theflat strip bar lying toward the door panel corner and forms at the end ahook reaching around the one narrow side of the flat strip bar.

Both solutions have the advantage that the flat strip bar they are tocarry does not need to be slid through, but can be stuck onto the barlaterally and subsequently be installed on the door panel. In manyapplications this simplifies installation of the flat strip bar closure.Thus, the installation of flat strip bar closures becomes possible,which, due to the construction of the flat strip bars, cannot even bepushed through guideways.

Both approaches permit different embodiments. In the kind of barguideway mentioned first, bilateral reinforcing walls can be arrangedwithin the frame surrounded by the legs, which is of an advantage, ifthe bar guideway is injection molded of synthetic material.

According to a yet different embodiment, it is desirable for foot rails,which continue and widen the walls, to extend from the outer surface ofthe leg carrying the fastening hole. This ensures improved contact whenfastening with welding bolts, because welding material residues do notbecome a nuisance.

The hook rail fastened at the angle corner region can have an offsetregion of lesser cross section. The decreased cross section could, forexample, be formed by a triangular groove, with the tip of the trianglelying near the associated inner corner of the guide track. Inparticular, the hook rail fastened on the angle corner region could forma resilient clip, the one end of which braces itself on the fasteningsurface for the bar guideway.

According to a yet different embodiment, the bar guideway may be formedin such a way that the outer angle surface around the fastening holeforms an undercut for receiving the bore ridge (for screw fastening) orwelding material (for welding bolt fastening). Preferably, the legforming the guide track has a greater axial extent than the leg providedwith the fastening hole.

According to yet another embodiment, the reinforcing walls and/or theside edges of the leg or the extended guide track may form a stoppingsurface for a locking part carrying the bar. However, a stopping surfacecan be provided which also represents an alignment projection for alocking part carried by the door frame. The door edge has a labyrinthfor water-repelling ventilatability. The door edge of the door (insteadof a rubber seal which acts as stop) never makes contact directly withthe surface of the unlacquered frame which would otherwise possiblydamage the lacquer. Instead, a defined distance by the stopping devicesis maintained.

The alternative construction likewise permits several variations, whichcan be used to advantage. The second aperture or the cut could bearch-shaped and have a radius significantly greater than that of thefastening bolt in order to receive here flashing, welding residues orthe like and, in this way, effect full contact of the bar guideway onthe door panel. The advantage of the arch-shaped cut (compared to around hole of identical radius) lies in its simple installation: thefirst L-shaped corner piece can subsequently be pushed under the secondL-shaped corner piece, which is already placed on the screw bolt orsimilar means. Before the second L-shaped corner piece is inserted, theflat strip bar can still be slid under the hook of the second angle.

Furthermore, for more precise guidance of the one narrow edge of theflat strip bar, it is, favorable if the second L-shaped corner pieceforms in its second leg, which is directed away from the door panelplane, a cut, from which extends a guide lug or a guide web for the onenarrow side of the flat strip bar. This guide lug or guide web can becreated by bending the leg end inward by 90° in the region of the cut orby cutting all the way into the other leg and bending out an auxiliaryleg parallel to the second leg but by a shorter fashion and displacedtoward the inside. The two parts may be punched out of metal, injectionmolded of light metal, cast, or partially injection molded of syntheticmaterial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, the invention is explained in greater detail in conjunction withembodiments represented in the drawings, which show:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the fillet gap of a sheet metalcabinet door as viewed from behind with a flat strip bar closureinstalled in this fillet gap as an explanation of the application of thebar guideway according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 as anillustration of a locking device for a flat strip bar, so that it is notslidable through the guide device;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view along line 5--5 of FIG. 1 to representthe embodiment of a bar guideway according to the invention used in FIG.1;

FIGS. 6 A-C are respectively side elevational, axial sectional andbottom views of the bar guideway according to FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 A-C are views similar to those of FIGS. 6A-C but for anotherembodiment;

FIG. 8 is a sectional representation of still another embodiment, butwhich is similar to FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment of the bar guideway according toFIG. 6C in a modification;

FIG. 10 is a representation similar to FIG. 5 of another embodiment of abar guideway, which consists of two parts;

FIG. 11 is the upper part of the FIG. 10 bar guideway in a separaterepresentation;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the lower part of the FIG. 10 bar guideway;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a somewhat modified lower part of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a representation of bar guideway similar to FIG. 10 with themodified lower part according to FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the fillet gap or channel 10 of a sheet metal cabinet door12 in a view from behind the door 12. A bar closure 14 arranged in thisgap consists of a lock 16, from which a flat strip bar 18 extends inthis fillet gap 10. The flat strip bar 18 is supported within the lock16 and is also displacably supported in a bar guideway 20 on the doorpanel 12. The sheet metal cabinet door 12 is, as shown in FIG. 3,articulated in a known manner with joint hinges 22 and with the body ofthe cabinet 24, which, in turn, utilizes the other fillet gap 11, whichis formed between the outer edge 26 of door 12 and a sheet metal section30 welded to the inside of the door panel 12 and a sheet metal section30 welded to the inside of the door panel 12 and sealed by a seal 28. Insheet metal cabinets, which have a fillet gap 10, 11 of this nature, itis customary that in the fillet gap for the closure one or, if use ofsinkable pivot lever closures is planned, two rectangular apertures 32and 34 are arranged symmetrically to the horizontal door center 36.

As shown in FIG. 2, which represents an axial sectional view along lineB--B of FIG. 1, a hook-like projection 38 is screwed to the body of thecabinet 24, into which, when the bar closure is closed, a double rollpin 40 carried by the closure bar penetrates and forms a lockarrangement 42. In the sectional view C--C through this lockingarrangement (see FIG. 4), it can be seen that the bar 18, which isrectangular in cross section and formed of flat strip material, carriesa peg 44 in press fit, which holds bilaterally rotatable rollers 46. Therollers have so much play that they are readily rotatable but cannotslide off the peg 44; this is due to the presence of a head 48 on theone side of peg 44, and a flange (beading) 52, which is generated on theopposite side of the peg after the peg and rollers have been installed.

The hook 38 is provided with a slit 50 for receiving the bar 18, withinsection C--C of FIG. 4. The hook has a U-shaped profile, with the web ofthe U having a threaded bore, into which a setscrew 51 can be screwed inorder to fix the hook 38. The hook 38 may also have a safeguard againstrotation. For example, a prismatic aperture in the body of the cabinet24, into which corresponding projections of the hook can be slid forminga safeguard against rotation.

FIG. 5, which is the sectional view D--D according to FIG. 1, shows abar guideway 20, in which a part, still to be described in detail andpreferably injection molded of synthetic material, is arranged in arotation-proof fashion with a stud bolt arrangement in the corner gap ofthe fillet gap 10. The part is formed so that the flat strip bar 18,after having been previously bent away from projection 54, can be slidinto the guideway. Subsequently, the fastening nut 56 of the weldingbolt 58 can be tightened, which presses the projection 54 against thebar 18 forming a safeguard. The guideway 20 can also be arranged on theother side of bar 18 outside the corner region of the door panel whereit is occasionally difficult to access for welding work. In this casethe bottom support of the bar guideway 20 could have small projectionswhich would increase friction, so that the separate rotation safeguard,advisable for welding bolt fastening, is achieved. In FIGS. 6A-C, thebar guide part, which is injection molded of synthetic material and usedin FIG. 5, is again emphasized more clearly. As can be seen, the barguideway 20 consists of a base angle 60 of resiliently elastic material,in particular synthetic material, the one leg 62 of which has afastening hole 64 and the other leg 66 of which has at its edge 68,which is free in the upward direction, and in the angle region 70between the two legs 62, 66 one projecting rail 72. Each rail has ahook-shaped profile and, in this way, forms a guide track 76 for theflat strip bar.

Reinforcing walls 78 are arranged on both sides of the fastening hole 64within the angle, which if produced on an elastic synthetic material,lend sufficient strength to the overall arrangement.

The hook-shaped rails 72, 74 are bent obliquely at their hook endstoward the outside and facilitate through their funnel shape theinsertion of the flat strip bar. As a supplement, as shown in FIG. 6B,the hook rail 74 fastened at the angle corner region 70 can have anoffset of lesser cross section, with this lesser cross section beingformed, for example, by a triangular groove 80, with the tip of thetriangle lying near the associated inner corner 82 of the guide track76. During insertion, before installing the base angle 60 or at leastbefore tightening the particular fastening screw, the hook rail 74 canbe folded away in the direction of arrow 84 and the bar slid into theupper hook. Subsequently, the rail 74 (which represents the projection54 according to FIG. 5) can be folded back again, whereupon the baseangle 60 is fastened in the region of the corner. The fold-away hook 74is simultaneously held firm by the bottom surface (see FIG. 5) of thedoor panel.

As shown in FIGS. 7A-C, which is an embodiment similar to FIGS. 6A-C,foot rails 88 continuing and widening the walls 78 can extend from theouter surface 86 of the leg 62 carrying the fastening hole 64. Theadvantage of this construction is more space for receiving the ridge orwelding residues is available, when welding bolts are used forfastening. I n FIG. 8, which is an embodiment in a model similar to thatof

FIG. 6 A-C, a base angle for a bar guideway is shown in which the hookrail fastened on the angle corner region 70 forms a resilient clip 90,the end 92 of which braces itself on the fastening surface (not shownhere) for the bar guideway, so that the swing-away motion cannot takeplace in the direction of arrow 84. However, this clip-like design 90 isso elastic, that even after installation, sufficient resiliency existsin order to slide the flat bar in at the top and subsequently achieveover the run-up surface of clip 90 insertion at the bottom, with theclip giving so far, that the bar clicks in behind the corner 94 and,subsequently, is held tight.

FIG. 9 shows that the leg 66 forming the guide channel may extendgreater axially than the leg 62 provided with the bore. The bar guidewayis preferably formed so that the outer angle surface again forms aroundthe bore an undercut 96 for receiving bore ridges (when fastening takesplace with screws) or welding material (when fastening is done withwelding bolts).

In FIGS. 10 to 14 a bar guideway is shown consisting of two parts.

The first part comprises a first angle 110 with one leg 114 providedwith an arch-shaped cut 116 for fastening with screws in the corner gapof the door panel to receive the fastening bolt 58, and the other leg118 forms a guideway for the surface 120 of the flat strip bar 18directed away from the door panel corner gap. The second part comprisesa second angle 112 (FIG. 11) with one leg 122 provided with a round bore124 for fastening with screws to the first angle 110, and the other leg126 forming a guideway for the other surface 128 of the flat strip barlying toward the door panel corner gap. At the end of this other legforms a hook 132 encompassing the narrow side 130 of the flat strip bar18.

As is readily apparent in FIG. 12, the arch-shaped cut 116 has a radiussubstantially greater than that of the round aperture 124 of angle 112adapted to the radius of the fastening bolt, again for the purpose ofreceiving flashing, welding residues or the like and to permit fullcontact of the angle on the fastening surface within the corner gap ofthe door panel. As FIG. 10 shows, the bend 134 of the door panel 12provides a stopping surface for the free edges 136 of the two angles110, 112 and an excellent safeguard against rotation in connection withthe tightened screw bolt connection 58. A closed aperture (round hole)with identical radius can also be provided instead of the arch-shapedcut. However, in that case, installation of both angles can only takeplace simultaneously (with the flat bar inserted). The cut permitsinstallation of the second angle, flat strip bar, and first angle inseparate steps, which can be of advantage.

As seen in FIG. 13, the first angle 110 can form a cut 140 in its secondleg 118 directed away from the door panel plane. From this cut extends aguide lug or guide web 142 (FIG. 12) or 144 (FIG. 13) for the othernarrow side 146 of the flat strip bar 18. The guide lug or the guide webcan be generated by bending the leg end in the region of the cut inwardby 90° (see FIG. 13 and 14), or by cutting all the way into the otherleg 136 and bending out an auxiliary leg parallel to the second leg 118but shorter and displaced toward the inside (see FIG. 12 and FIG. 10).The advantage of both constructions is that the flat strip bar 18receives a somewhat greater distance from the door panel 12, which canbe of advantage with respect to other devices of the bar closure.

The two parts 110, 112 shown in FIGS. 10 to 14 can be punched out ofmetal or produced of synthetic material.

In general, it is favorable to attach the bar guideway 20 as near aspossible to one of the closure hooks 38, in order to keep as small aspossible the lever forces acting upon the flat strip bar. If the twoparts 20, 38 respectively are moved even closer to each other as isshown in FIG. 2, the lower part 148 of hook 38 braces itself on acorresponding bearing surface 150 of the bar guideway 20 and results ina particularly precise guidance of the door panel with respect to thedoor frame. The guidance is as precise as is obtained with differentmeans in prior art. Particularly, the hook 38 is clamped between thesurface 150 of the bar guideway 20 and the double roll pin 40, so thatan extraordinarily shake-proof closing effect is achieved. Depending onthe construction of the bar guideway 20, the reinforcing wall 78, theside edges of leg 68 or, in FIG. 9, the front face of the extended guidechannel should be considered as a bearing surface.

Special alignment projections, which extend from the door frame 24, canbe provided instead of hook 38 as an alignment device, which, inconnection with the bar guideway 20, accomplishes fixing the door panelwith respect to the door frame in the closed state.

Bar guideways of the described kind are used in the electrical industryfor building closures for switch cabinets manufactured of sheet metal.

I claim:
 1. A bar guideway for a flat strip bar of a bar closure, whichis provided for installation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door,comprising of a pair of legs extending away from a corner area so thatsaid legs and said corner area together have an L-shaped cross-section,one of said legs having a fastening hole, the other of said legs havinga free end from which extends one projecting hook rail with ahook-shaped profile, another projecting hook rail with a hook-shapedprofile extending from said corner area, both of said hook railscooperating with each other to form a guide track for guiding the flatstrip bar therebetween, both of said hook rails extending outward fromsaid other leg and corner area, respectively, in a direction which isopposite to a direction in which extends said leg with said fasteninghole away from said corner area.
 2. A bar guideway as in claim 1,wherein said other of said legs extends greater in an axial directionthan does that one of said legs which is provided with the fasteninghole.
 3. A bar guideway for a flat strip bar of a bar closure, which isprovided for installation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door, comprisinga pair of legs extending away from a corner area so that said legs andsaid corner area together have an L-shaped cross-section, one of saidlegs having a fastening hole, the other of said legs having a free endfrom which extends one projecting hook rail with a hook-shaped profile,another projecting hook rail with a hook-shaped profile extending fromsaid corner area, both of said hook rails together cooperating with eachother to form a guide track for guiding the flat strip bar therebetween;andreinforcing walls in a space defined between the legs on both sidesof the fastening hole.
 4. A bar guideway as in claim 3, wherein from anouter surface of the leg carrying the fastening hole, foot rails extendwhich widen the walls.
 5. A bar guideway as in claim 3, wherein thereinforcing walls and side edges of the leg with the fastening hole forma stopping surface for a locking part carried by the bar.
 6. A barguideway for a flat strip bar of a bar closure, which is provided forinstallation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door, comprising a pair oflegs extending away from a corner area so that said legs and said cornerarea together have an L-shaped cross-section, one of said legs having afastening hole, the other of said legs having a free end from whichextends one projecting hook rail with a hook-shaped profile, anotherprojecting hook rail with a hook-shaped profile extending from saidcorner area, both of said hook rails together cooperating with eachother to form a guide track for guiding the flat strip bar therebetween,said another projecting hook rail having an offset region of decreasedcross section.
 7. A bar guideway as in claim 6, wherein the decreasedcross section is formed by a triangular groove, with one point of thetriangle lying closer to an associated inner corner of the guide trackthan the remaining points of the triangle.
 8. A bar guideway as in claim6, wherein the another projecting hook rail forms a resilient clip, anend of which braces on a fastening surface for the bar guideway.
 9. Abar guideway for a flat strip bar of a bar closure, which is providedfor installation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door, comprising a pair oflegs extending away from a corner so that said legs and said corner areatogether have an L-shaped cross-section, one of said legs having afastening hole, the other of said legs having a free end from whichextends one projecting hook rail with a hook-shaped profile, anotherprojecting hook rail extending from said corner area, both of said hookrails together cooperating with each other to form a guide track forguiding the flat strip bar therebetween; andan undercut in a regionaround the fastening hole for receiving a fastening element.
 10. A barguideway for a flat strip bar of a bar closure, which is provided forinstallation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door, the bar guidewaycomprising a first L-shaped corner element formed by a first pair oflegs extending from a first corner area, one of said legs having a firstaperture for receiving a fastening element, the other of said legshaving a free end from which extends a projecting strip which has ahook-shaped profile, a second L-shaped corner element formed by a secondpair of legs extending from a second corner area, a first leg of thesecond pair of legs being provided with a second aperture for receivinganother fastening element, and a second leg of the second pair of legsforming a strip with a hook-shaped profile which projects beyond thefirst corner area to cooperate with the hook-shaped profile of the firstL-shaped corner element so that the flat strip bar is guided between thehook-shaped profiles of each of the first and second L-shaped cornerelements, both of said hook-shaped profiles extending outward in adirection which is opposite to a direction in which extends said legswhich have a respective one of said first and second apertures.
 11. Abar guideway as in claim 10, wherein the first aperture is anarch-shaped cut and the second aperture is a round bore accommodatingthe associated fastening bolt therein.
 12. A bar guideway as in claim10, wherein the bar guideway has parts punched out of metal.
 13. A barguideway as in claim 10, wherein the bar guideway has at least one partinjection molded of synthetic material.
 14. A bar guideway for a flatstrip of a bar closure, which is provided for installation in a filletgap of a cabinet door, the bar guideway comprising a first L-shapedcorner element formed by a first pair of legs extending from a firstcorner area, one of said legs having a first aperture for receiving afastening element, the other of said legs having a free end from whichextends a projecting strip which has a hook-shaped profile, a secondL-shaped corner element formed by a second pair of legs extending from asecond corner area, a first leg of the second pair of legs beingprovided with a second aperture for receiving another fastening element,and a second leg of the second pair of legs forming a strip with ahook-shaped profile which projects beyond the first corner area tocooperate with the hook-shaped profile of the first L-shaped cornerelement so that the flat strip bar is guided between the hook-shapedprofiles of each of the first and second L-shaped corner elements, thefirst aperture being an arch-shaped cut and the second aperture being around bore accommodating the associated fastening bolt therein, saidarch-shaped cut having a radius greater than that of the round bore. 15.A bar guideway for a flat strip of a bar closure, which is provided forinstallation in a fillet gap of a cabinet door, the bar guidewaycomprising a first L-shaped corner element formed by a first pair oflegs extending from a first corner area, one of said legs having a firstaperture for receiving a fastening element, the other of said legshaving a free end from which extends a projecting strip which has ahook-shaped profile, a second L-shaped corner element formed by a secondpair of legs extending from a second corner area, a first leg of thesecond pair of legs being provided with a second aperture for receivinganother fastening element, and a second leg of the second pair of legsforming a strip with a hook-shaped profile which projects beyond thefirst corner area to cooperate with the hook-shaped profile of the firstL-shaped corner element so that the flat strip bar is guided between thehook-shaped profiles of each of the first and second L-shaped cornerelements, the other leg of the first and second L-shaped corner elementhaving a slot extending away from a plane passing through a door panel,from which a guide element extends for a side of the flat strip bar. 16.A bar guideway as in claim 15, wherein the guide element is formed bybending the leg end in the region of the cut inward by 90°.
 17. A barguideway as in claim 15, wherein the guide element is formed by a bendof an auxiliary leg parallel to the other leg but which is shorter thanthe second leg.
 18. A bar guideway as in claim 15, wherein the guideelement is formed by a cut in the one leg.
 19. A bar guideway for a flatstrip of a bar closure, which is provided for installation in a filletgap of a sheet metal cabinet door, the bar guideway comprising a pair oflegs extending from a corner area so that said legs and said corner areatogether have an L-shaped cross-section, one of said legs having afastening hole, the other of said legs having a free edge from whichextends one projecting hook rail with hook-shaped profile, both of saidhook rails together cooperating with each other to form a guide trackfor guiding the flat strip bar therebetween, the pair of legs beingcomposed of resiliently elastic material.